Written Answers Monday 23 March 2009

Scottish Executive

Bees

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce measures to combat the varroa mite in bee colonies.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not intend to introduce measures to combat the varroa mite in bee colonies. Varroa is now considered endemic in Scotland and is neither a notifiable nor reportable disease.

  The Scottish Government does have an interest in the mite and the impact it has on honey bees if not managed properly. To assist and educate beekeepers in the recognition of varroa and methods to manage the mite, the Scottish Government funds a full-time post of a specialist bee adviser at the Scottish Agricultural College to provide free advice and training for beekeepers.

  Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, part of the Rural Payments and Inspectorate Directorate, also provides a free diagnostic service to beekeepers to confirm the presence of varroa in hive debris.

Central Heating Programme

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the option of an oil-fired central heating system, currently available under the central heating programme, will also be available under the Energy Assistance Package.

Alex Neil: The option of an oil-fired central heating system will be made available under the Energy Assistance Package, where the property is already fitted with that type of system or it is the only feasible option.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much shoplifting costs the economy annually.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Table 1 of the Scottish Government’s Recorded Crime in Scotland 2007-08 publication shows the number of recorded instances of shoplifting per year from 1998-99 to 2007-08.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/09/29155946/7

  The Scottish Government does not produce estimates of the economic cost of shoplifting in Scotland. However, the Home Office has produced an estimate of the average economic and social costs associated with a theft from a shop. This is available in The Economic and Social Costs of Crime (Home Office Research Study 217) http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hors217.pdf.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much shoplifting costs small business annually.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of shoplifters was made up of repeat offenders in 2007-08, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Data from 2007-08 will not be published until 28 April 2009. Information from 2006-07 (the most recent year available) on the number of persons convicted of shoplifting with a previous conviction in the period back to 1 April 1997 is given in the following table:

  Percentage of Persons with a Charge Proved for Shoplifting Offences1 in 2006-07 with a Previous Conviction by Approximate Local Authority Area2

  

 Local Authority
 Percentage with a Previous Conviction for any Offence
 Percentage with a Previous Shoplifting Conviction


 Aberdeen City 
 90.6
 67.6


 Aberdeenshire 
 97.4
 64.1


 Angus 
 90.1
 69.3


 Argyll and Bute 
 90.0
 45.0


 Clackmannanshire 
 92.4
 55.7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 94.3
 70.2


 Dundee City 
 92.9
 70.0


 East Ayrshire 
 95.6
 71.3


 East Dunbartonshire
 -
 -


 East Lothian 
 92.0
 48.0


 East Renfrewshire 
 88.9
 66.7


 Edinburgh, City of 
 85.8
 57.3


 Eilean Siar 
 90.9
 9.1


 Falkirk 
 92.8
 62.5


 Fife 
 90.3
 65.0


 Glasgow City 
 93.1
 66.3


 Highland 
 88.3
 57.1


 Inverclyde 
 90.7
 66.7


 Midlothian 
 72.4
 41.4


 Moray 
 96.8
 54.8


 North Ayrshire 
 75.0
 25.0


 North Lanarkshire 
 93.2
 55.9


 Orkney Islands 
 100.0
 0.0


 Perth and Kinross 
 96.1
 66.1


 Renfrewshire 
 85.8
 55.0


 Scottish Borders 
 85.5
 40.6


 Shetland Islands 
 100.0
 50.0


 South Ayrshire 
 95.9
 66.9


 South Lanarkshire 
 89.8
 63.3


 Stirling 
 89.3
 63.1


 West Dunbartonshire
 93.6
 59.1


 West Lothian 
 91.5
 56.2


 Scotland
 91.2
 63.0



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Four local authority areas, namely East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what disposals were applied to people caught shoplifting in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table:

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Shoplifting Crimes1 by Approximate Local Authority Area2 and Disposal, 2004-05 to 2006-07

  

 Local Authority/Disposal
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Aberdeen City 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 168
 201
 162


 Community sentence
 164
 210
 150


 Monetary 
 212
 238
 236


 Other 
 99
 122
 138


 Total
 643
 771
 686


 Aberdeenshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 30
 42
 17


 Community sentence
 32
 26
 24


 Monetary 
 102
 80
 64


 Other 
 20
 23
 11


 Total
 184
 171
 116


 Angus 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 17
 36
 54


 Community sentence
 10
 16
 32


 Monetary 
 24
 50
 75


 Other 
 19
 12
 32


 Total
 70
 114
 193


 Argyll and Bute 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 10
 2
 5


 Community sentence
 1
 6
 6


 Monetary 
 12
 8
 6


 Other 
 11
 6
 6


 Total
 34
 22
 23


 Clackmannanshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 12
 10
 18


 Community sentence
 34
 25
 34


 Monetary 
 31
 39
 53


 Other 
 15
 9
 14


 Total
 92
 83
 119


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 


 Custody 
 83
 78
 70


 Community sentence
 53
 45
 80


 Monetary 
 43
 39
 44


 Other 
 10
 17
 35


 Total
 189
 179
 229


 Dundee City 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 147
 245
 273


 Community sentence
 129
 176
 163


 Monetary 
 255
 236
 321


 Other 
 78
 108
 91


 Total
 609
 765
 848


 East Ayrshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 166
 172
 161


 Community sentence
 96
 127
 106


 Monetary 
 94
 102
 109


 Other 
 40
 42
 44


 Total
 396
 443
 420


 East Dunbartonshire
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 1
 -


 Monetary 
 22
 6
 -


 Other 
 18
 8
 -


 Total
 40
 15
 -


 East Lothian 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 6
 1
 7


 Community sentence
 6
 2
 4


 Monetary 
 12
 3
 16


 Other 
 3
 5
 6


 Total
 27
 11
 33


 East Renfrewshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 1
 -


 Monetary 
 9
 3
 10


 Other 
 1
 4
 4


 Total
 10
 8
 14


 Edinburgh, City of 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 183
 199
 166


 Community sentence
 182
 201
 147


 Monetary 
 378
 312
 339


 Other 
 153
 155
 210


 Total
 896
 867
 862


 Eilean Siar 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 2
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 -
 3


 Monetary 
 3
 -
 9


 Other 
 -
 -
 -


 Total
 5
 -
 12


 Falkirk 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 72
 52
 52


 Community sentence
 43
 50
 82


 Monetary 
 110
 49
 69


 Other 
 70
 42
 43


 Total
 295
 193
 246


 Fife 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 161
 139
 148


 Community sentence
 88
 104
 108


 Monetary 
 150
 130
 186


 Other 
 92
 132
 120


 Total
 491
 505
 562


 Glasgow City 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 525
 444
 423


 Community sentence
 104
 121
 137


 Monetary 
 770
 688
 733


 Other 
 252
 328
 402


 Total
 1,651
 1,581
 1,695


 Highland 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 58
 55
 69


 Community sentence
 45
 51
 47


 Monetary 
 110
 124
 112


 Other 
 23
 45
 43


 Total
 236
 275
 271


 Inverclyde 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 52
 34
 29


 Community sentence
 64
 23
 21


 Monetary 
 35
 27
 15


 Other 
 41
 41
 34


 Total
 192
 125
 99


 Midlothian 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 -
 -


 Monetary 
 19
 23
 34


 Other 
 2
 2
 1


 Total
 21
 25
 35


 Moray 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 13
 17
 16


 Community sentence
 5
 9
 12


 Monetary 
 16
 10
 22


 Other 
 9
 6
 3


 Total
 43
 42
 53


 North Ayrshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 1
 -


 Monetary 
 12
 44
 27


 Other 
 6
 7
 6


 Total
 18
 52
 33


 North Lanarkshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 64
 50
 69


 Community sentence
 44
 41
 38


 Monetary 
 94
 105
 92


 Other 
 53
 48
 50


 Total
 255
 244
 249


 Orkney Islands 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 -
 -


 Community sentence
 -
 -
 -


 Monetary 
 -
 -
 2


 Other 
 -
 -
 -


 Total
 -
 -
 2


 Perth and Kinross 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 35
 39
 50


 Community sentence
 43
 45
 44


 Monetary 
 79
 77
 110


 Other 
 36
 36
 28


 Total
 193
 197
 232


 Renfrewshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 77
 84
 60


 Community sentence
 58
 36
 24


 Monetary 
 147
 130
 158


 Other 
 87
 81
 84


 Total
 369
 331
 326


 Scottish Borders 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 27
 25
 13


 Community sentence
 8
 8
 11


 Monetary 
 48
 42
 44


 Other 
 14
 8
 15


 Total
 97
 83
 83


 Shetland Islands 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 -
 2
 2


 Community sentence
 1
 5
 2


 Monetary 
 3
 2
 1


 Other 
 -
 1
 -


 Total
 4
 10
 5


 South Ayrshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 137
 79
 105


 Community sentence
 73
 46
 34


 Monetary 
 61
 29
 35


 Other 
 55
 46
 27


 Total
 326
 200
 201


 South Lanarkshire 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 157
 144
 106


 Community sentence
 108
 68
 64


 Monetary 
 113
 99
 98


 Other 
 71
 75
 98


 Total
 449
 386
 366


 Stirling 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 49
 37
 38


 Community sentence
 64
 27
 28


 Monetary 
 52
 48
 56


 Other 
 32
 34
 41


 Total
 197
 146
 163


 West Dunbartonshire
 
 
 


 Custody 
 68
 77
 63


 Community sentence
 26
 31
 29


 Monetary 
 55
 29
 52


 Other 
 36
 16
 23


 Total
 185
 153
 167


 West Lothian 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 53
 36
 40


 Community sentence
 66
 37
 64


 Monetary 
 78
 70
 58


 Other 
 13
 20
 21


 Total
 210
 163
 183


 Scotland3
 
 
 


 Custody 
 2,372
 2,302
 2,217


 Community sentence
 1,547
 1,539
 1,494


 Monetary 
 3,149
 2,842
 3,186


 Other 
 1,359
 1,479
 1,630


 Total
 8,427
 8,162
 8,527



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Four local authority areas, namely East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.

  3. Contains a small number of cases where local authority is unknown.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects responsibility for crofting development to transfer from the Crofters Commission to Highlands and Islands Enterprise and how much resource it proposes to transfer with it.

Roseanna Cunningham: Responsibility for crofting community development will transfer from the Crofters Commission to Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 1 April 2009 and a baseline transfer of £175,000 will be made from the crofting assistance budget to the budget for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Domestic Violence

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Violence Reduction Unit concerning gender-based violence.

Alex Neil: Tackling domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence is a vital priority for this government which is why we have allocated £44 million over the financial period 2008-11 to support the agenda.

  The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is one of our key partners in taking this work forward. Government officials meet regularly with the VRU to discuss progress addressing gender based violence, including the implementation of the National Domestic Abuse Delivery Plan for Children and Young People. Most recently, from December 2008 to January 2009, the VRU ran a campaign of co-ordinated police action aimed at reducing the levels of domestic abuse in Scotland. The campaign launch took place a few weeks before the launch of the government’s Annual Domestic Abuse Campaign. Officials from the VRU worked closely with the government’s Violence Against Women Team to ensure we maximised the impact of these initiatives.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20961 by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2009, whether it will provide further details of the (a) campaigns that have recently been run by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency aimed at reducing demand for cocaine and (b) groups targeted by each campaign.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) recently ran a "Shared Responsibility" campaign aimed at changing social attitudes towards cocaine by highlighting the environmental impact that cocaine use in Scotland has on communities in Columbia. The campaign was targeted at the whole population, including families, workers and students.

  The government supports the SCDEA to run a series of concert style events, in May each year, which are targeted at P7 school children to promote positive life choices and give messages about the dangers of substance misuse and the consequences of their use.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S3W-20964, S3W-20965 and S3W-20967 by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2009, whether it (a) considers that it would be useful to hold the information sought on drug misuse by students and (b) intends to collate this information in future.

Fergus Ewing: Reliable information about the drug using population is key in the development of policy and practice. The Information Services Division of NHS Scotland collates information about individuals entering drug treatment services. Of those, it identifies people in full-time education and training, although this is a broader category than students alone. Obtaining prevalence and consumption estimates for cocaine use is especially difficult, however, because users do not often come into contact with services. In the future, we will be exploring how to improve data collection in relation to psychostimulants.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the answers to questions S3W-20964, S3W-20965 and S3W-20967 by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2009, on what basis the decision to target students in the most recent campaign by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency was taken.

Fergus Ewing: SCDEA activity under the Shared Responsibility campaign is a general awareness campaign which has been, and will continue to be, promoted to varied audiences via a range of media and initiatives. The engagement with students in Scotland, which was supported by the National Union of Students, was part of this wider exercise to seek to reduce future demand for cocaine based on a better understanding of the effect its consumption has on the environment and communities of Colombia.

Employment

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether under existing legislation it can pay compensation to workers affected by short-time working during the economic downturn.

Fiona Hyslop: If the purpose of any compensation payment to workers affected by short-time working relates to employment, social security benefits or macro-economics - all of which are reserved under the Scotland Act 1998 - we are not aware of any legislation which would enable the Scottish Government to make such compensation payments.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments have been made of the capacity of available facilities to capture and dispose safely of products containing ozone depleting substances (ODS), with particular reference to those contained in plastic foam insulation from steel-clad buildings.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to implement EC Regulation 2037/2000 as it applies to the disposal of ozone depleting substances (ODS) found in plastic foam insulation from steel-clad buildings.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21461 on 10 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to eliminate the illegal landfilling of construction waste as part of its strategy to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the construction industry, with particular reference to plastic foam insulation from steel-clad buildings.

Richard Lochhead: The prevention of any form of illegal landfilling is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

  With regard to the position on plastic foam insulation from steel-clad buildings, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21461 on 10 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions resulted from the illegal disposal of plastic foam insulation containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) from steel-clad buildings in each year since 2004.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) enforcement notices and (b) prosecutions have been made for the improper disposal of plastic foam insulation containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) from steel-clad buildings.

Richard Lochhead: This is an operational issue for Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and I have asked the Chief Executive, Campbell Gemmell, to write to you.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to include sites of special scientific interest and Ramsar sites in the latest draft of regulations to transpose the EU environmental liability directive into Scots law in light of concern shown in responses to the Scottish Government’s second consultation on the matter.

Richard Lochhead: The majority of respondents were not in favour of including sites of special scientific interest and Ramsar sites and, as these sites are not within the scope of the Directive, they have not been included in the draft Regulations.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has met European Commission officials since May 2007.

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has met (a) MEPs and (b) EU commissioners in Brussels since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: No such meetings have taken place, although I am keen to engage with Europe, when appropriate opportunities arise, on important health issues including the proposals for a cross-border health care Directive.

  I had planned to visit Brussels in January to meet with the Health Commissioner as well as officials from the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic, who currently hold the Presidency of the Council, to discuss a number of public health issues including the Directive on cross-border health care. However, that visit had to be cancelled due to business in the Scottish Parliament.

  My officials are in discussions with the Health Commissioner’s office with a view to re-arranging that meeting to coincide with my attendance at the next Health Council meeting, scheduled for 8 to 9 June. The cross-border health care proposals are included in the draft agenda for the Health Council.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Public Health and Sport has met European Commission officials in the United Kingdom since May 2007.

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Public Health and Sport has met European Commission officials in Brussels since May 2007.

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Public Health and Sport has met (a) MEPs and (b) EU commissioners in Brussels since May 2007.

Shona Robison: No such meetings have taken place, although I am keen to engage with Europe on important health issues for Scotland.

  My officials are in the process of identifying a suitable opportunity and developing a programme for me to visit Brussels to discuss health matters, including key Scottish initiatives around health inequalities and health quality and safety, and how they relate, and can contribute, to current and on-going EU work programmes.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between the UK Government and Scottish ministers on the financial impact assessment of the EU draft cross-border health care directive on Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: No such meetings have taken place as any cost to Scotland in implementing the cross-border health care directive is primarily a matter for the Scottish Government.

  The cost to treat patients abroad will ultimately fall on the home NHS board. The cross-border health care proposals, as they stand, state that the reimbursement to the patient cannot exceed the cost of the treatment had it been received in the home state health care system. Therefore, the cost should be limited to the expense that would have been incurred by the local NHS service provider.

  The draft Directive does not seek to confer additional rights to treatment to which the patient is not entitled to receive at home. The UK Government is aware of, and agrees with, our view that it is essential that the Directive includes provision for prior authorisation from the home health care provider before a patient can travel abroad for treatment, and is negotiating on our behalf on that basis.

  My officials are in the process of setting up an implementation group to inform the next stages of the negotiations and to begin to plan for implementation, including any financial impact.

Fisheries

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can compel Scottish-based fishing quota owners to join the proposed quota management and licensing system.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can compel Scottish-based fishing boats to join the proposed fishing quota management and licensing system.

Richard Lochhead: The proposals are for a Scottish quota management and licensing system which will apply to Scottish vessels and quota holders as defined in the consultation document Safeguarding Our Fishing Rights: The Future of Quota Management and Licensing in Scotland - Interim outcome of consultation report .

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors progress towards implementation in full of its health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment (HEAT) targets.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards’ local delivery plans (LDPs) set out the delivery trajectories and risk management plans for each HEAT target, which are underpinned with financial and workforce plans. LDPs are agreed with NHS boards in advance of the financial year to which they relate. NHS boards and Scottish Government monitor, on an on-going basis, performance by comparing actual performance against the delivery trajectories for each target.

  As the actual performance data becomes available they are published through the website of the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS National Services Scotland and other websites including those of the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland.

  NHS boards are held to account for their performance against HEAT targets at the Annual Reviews. Performance against HEAT targets is also reported in the NHSScotland Chief Executive’s Annual Report.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to achieve the health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment (HEAT) target to achieve agreed completion rates for child weight intervention programmes by 2010-11.

Shona Robison: All 14 territorial health boards have developed healthy weight intervention programmes to meet this HEAT target. They are supported in delivering the target by guidance from NHS Health Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional IT benefits for patient care will arise from the replacement of the Gpass system.

Nicola Sturgeon: In addition to the benefits of more modern IT systems being provided to GP practices, the replacement of GPASS is intended to produce savings that will allow NHS boards to invest in other areas of IT to support shifting the balance of care. For patient care this will mean, for example, Community Nurses and Allied Health Professionals being equipped with modern IT to enable electronic communication.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when IT systems in primary and secondary care will be compatible and what the benefits will be to patient care.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Scotland has in place the SCI Gateway IT system, specifically designed to enable exchange of patient information in electronic form between primary and secondary care. 75% of GP referrals to hospital already pass through this system, with benefits to patient care such as faster and more reliable sharing of the patient’s health problems between clinicians. The new GP systems that are due to be procured will be compatible with SCI Gateway. NHS boards are working towards the target of 90% of GP to hospital referrals being managed electronically by December 2010.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing proposes to make a statement to the Parliament about the prospect of a public inquiry into the outbreak of Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to answer to question S3W-20028 on 28 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will receive a final report from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on the outbreak of Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20313 on 9 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20798 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2009, whether trend data on the prescribing of antibiotics is publicly available.

Nicola Sturgeon: Not all the data used by NHS Board Prescribing Advisers are available publicly. For example, Prescribing Advisers have access to data through the PRescribing Information SysteM for Scotland (PRISMS), a web-based prescribing information database. Prescribing information, including antibiotics, available publicly can be found at www.isdscotland.org/prescribing .

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20798 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2009, whether NHS boards receive assurances that prescribing practices are appropriate in addition to monitoring antibiotic use.

Nicola Sturgeon: The appropriate use of antimicrobials is an important clinical governance issue. The NHS board’s Antimicrobial Management Team (AMT), which is a sub-group of the board’s Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee, covers both primary and secondary care sectors. Their key role is the development, implementation and compliance monitoring of the board’s antimicrobial policy. The AMT feeds back to the board’s clinical governance and risk management teams.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20798 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2009, how learning and information on prescribing antibiotics is shared with GPs.

Nicola Sturgeon: Learning and information about prescribing antibiotics is shared with GPs at a local level through education and feedback sessions organised by the NHS boards prescribing advisers. As part of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group’s education work stream, NHS Education for Scotland is currently developing a learning resource for primary care on managing common infections, which will include appropriate use of antimicrobials. The NHS board’s antimicrobial management team is tasked with ensuring the implementation of such educational programmes.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how GPs are engaged at a clinical level with the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force objectives to create a whole-system approach.

Nicola Sturgeon: All staff have a responsibility for infection control, including GPs. Guidance developed by the HAI Task Force covers all NHS services, including the Primary Care Sector, and there is GP representation on the national HAI Task Force.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is given to patients in relation to the need to complete courses of antibiotics and the potential risk of Clostridium difficile in the over-65s who are vulnerable and may be admitted to hospital in the following two months.

Nicola Sturgeon: All labels on antibiotic prescriptions should have standard labelling – "Complete the Course". Pharmacists in hospital and primary care settings also counsel patients on how to take their medicine including taking at regular intervals, requirements to take before and after food and completing the course.

  Good prescribing practice for any treatment should also involve discussion with the patient of potential risks and benefits as appropriate on an individual basis.

  The benefit of using an antibiotic to treat an infection in a patient over 65 years must be balanced against the potential for predisposing them to Clostridium difficile. Prescribers must weigh up these risks and decide on an individual basis what is clinically appropriate.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20800 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2009, whether each NHS board issues guidance to GPs about prescribing antibiotics.

Nicola Sturgeon: Each NHS board has an evidence-based primary care antimicrobial prescribing policy which provides guidance on when to prescribe antibiotics and which antibiotic should be used to treat each common infection. This policy is issued to GPs either electronically or in hard copy.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21382 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 March 2009, how many patients with Clostridium difficile have been transferred between hospitals in the context of any investigation into an incident or outbreak of Clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not routinely collected or held centrally. The transfer of patients would be considered by local infection control teams if relevant to the investigation or the management of any incident or outbreak.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-6169 by Alex Neil on 12 March 2009, how many selling agents believe that home reports are stimulating the housing market.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-6169 by Alex Neil on 12 March 2009, what percentage of selling agents believe that home reports are stimulating the housing market.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-6169 by Alex Neil on 12 March 2009, to what extent selling agents believe that home reports are stimulating the housing market.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-6169 by Alex Neil on 12 March 2009, what evidence it has that home reports are stimulating the housing market.

Alex Neil: The answer to question S3O-6169 in this respect reflects the published views of a number of senior property professionals, as estate agents or reporting the views of estate agents, with whom they deal, supported by informal comment and examples.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will review the impact that home reports have had on the housing market.

Alex Neil: We will commission a review after 12 months of operation, starting in December 2009, to consider the impact of home reports on the housing market as far as is possible at that time and to address operational issues that may have arisen where this would improve the continuing role of the home report in the housing market.

Infant Mortality

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to reduce the number of maternal and neonatal fatalities.

Shona Robison: In partnership with Information Services Division, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland produces an annual report on stillbirths and neonatal deaths The Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality and Morbidity Report . This report includes information on numbers, rates, causes and associated factors for all stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Scotland. It identifies trends and makes recommendations for practice where appropriate.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland also oversees the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Health in Scotland. This enquiry is conducted by a multidisciplinary committee of health professionals and examines all maternal deaths in Scotland. The committee reaches a consensus as to the cause of death and a view is taken about the standard of care provided and recommendations are made for practice where appropriate. This information contributes to the UK Confidential Enquiry which produces the triennial report Saving Mothers Lives under the auspices of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health.

  Measures with recommended standards to render childbirth as safe as possible for both mothers and babies are contained in guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives.

Infant Mortality

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to assist people coming to terms with a maternal or neonatal fatality.

Shona Robison: Maternity and Neonatal Units have explicit guidelines surrounding the occurrence of stillbirths, neonatal deaths and maternal deaths. Health professionals from maternity units, including midwives and neonatal nurses, as well as primary care teams where appropriate, provide support at a local level immediately to other members of the family following a fatality.

  The involvement of a bereavement counsellor may be suggested and relatives may be referred to an appropriate voluntary sector organisation.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20952 by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2009, how its initiatives for tackling knife crime will be evaluated.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-20948, S3W-20949 and S3W-20950 by Keith Brown on 11 March 2009, whether it (a) considers that, in order to evaluate effectively the success of such anti-knife-carrying programmes, it is vital to know how many schools are using such materials in the classroom and (b) intends to collate this information in future.

Fergus Ewing: Measuring the impact of the wide range of initiatives that we are supporting is a key aspect of our efforts to prevent and reduce knife carrying in Scotland. In order to ensure that the education based initiatives have a positive impact, our education advisor - a head teacher currently seconded to the Scottish Government to advise us on violence reduction initiatives - is working with Learning Teaching Scotland to develop the criteria to measure the initiatives’ impact. As part of this process, consideration will be given to what historic and future information should be collated.

  We are also working with the national Violence Reduction Unit to put in place arrangements to evaluate the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) project – the groundbreaking initiative that is being delivered in Glasgow to tackle gang violence.

Licensing

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its previous assurances that all prosecutions for the sale of alcohol to under 18-year-olds are routinely notified to the relevant licensing boards, whether any remedial action has been necessary to ensure that this is happening.

Kenny MacAskill: It is standard practice in most parts of Scotland for the police to notify local licensing boards of any reports that they make to the Procurator Fiscal about offences concerning the sale of alcohol to those under 18.

  This position will be strengthened when the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 comes into force on 1 September 2009 as it will require all convictions of premises licence holders and personal licence holders for sales to those under 18 to be notified to the relevant licensing board.

  Both the court and the licence holder will be required to notify the licensing board of a relevant conviction. The licensing board may then hold a hearing to decide whether further action should be taken.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for not using the Marine Bill to establish Marine Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: Legislation is not required to establish Marine Scotland. The Marine Bill will create new functions for Scottish ministers, which Marine Scotland will deliver on their behalf.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for establishing Marine Scotland before the passage of the Marine Bill.

Richard Lochhead: There is wide support for the establishment of such a body and for the improved marine management arrangements it will deliver. Awaiting the passage of the Marine Bill would have meant substantive delay in establishing new delivery arrangements. Establishing Marine Scotland now means it can begin to integrate existing functions and resources and prepare for new functions once the bill is enacted. It also has the benefit of ending uncertainty for the staff involved and others.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for not establishing Marine Scotland as a non-departmental public body.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government.

Richard Lochhead: Establishing Marine Scotland as a delivery-orientated directorate of Scottish Government means it can deliver better integrated policy, science and other marine management functions than would be possible through a non-departmental public body. Combining marine expertise and resources will mean Marine Scotland is well placed to champion Scotland’s seas and play a key role in the UK, Europe and internationally. It is also more transparent through direct accountability to the Scottish Parliament and offers value for money.

  A non-departmental body would be more complex and costly to establish and operate and has the significant drawback of fragmentation of functions.

  While there were differences of view on the most appropriate status for Marine Scotland, this is also the approach favoured by the largest group of respondents on the Marine Bill consultation who expressed a view on this issue.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote marine nature conservation.

Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will lead on measures to achieve good environmental status in Scottish waters and we believe there are benefits in integrating within the same organisation lead responsibility relating to policy, science and delivery arrangements for marine nature conservation across Scotland’s seas. That will allow informed and, where appropriate, balanced decisions to be taken on marine nature conservation alongside other issues.

  Marine Scotland will continue to consider advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on marine nature conservation issues, as appropriate.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote the fishing industry.

Richard Lochhead: Integrating responsibility for fisheries policy and management alongside other marine management responsibilities within a single organisation will mean that Marine Scotland can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests. Consequently, it will be better placed itself to make and to offer consolidated advice to ministers so that they can make, informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about how best to manage our marine assets and resources. Amongst other things, this should help reassure fishing and other interests that appropriate, sustainable decisions have been taken.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government rather than as a non-departmental public body will promote the development of renewable energy sources.

Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will take an overarching responsibility for marine management, including through the development of a marine planning framework and national marine plan, and allowing the development of local/regional plans. These will reflect strategic priorities, including in relation to the development of marine renewable energy sources.

  Integrating the range of policy, planning, science and other functions within Marine Scotland means that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience, expertise and policy interests and promote achievement of our key strategic aims in an informed and authoritative way. As part of Scottish Government, it will also be well placed to work with policy colleagues elsewhere in the Scottish Government, its agencies and local government. This sort of integrated approach would be more difficult under a non-departmental public body.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will guarantee the independence of Marine Scotland from the Scottish Government with regard to decisions on marine conservation.

Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will integrate the existing roles and responsibilities of the Scottish Government Marine Directorate, Fisheries Research Services and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. That includes their current decision-making functions in relation to marine nature conservation. To the extent that these responsibilities already rest with the Scottish Government or its agencies, this effectively maintains the status quo. Marine Scotland will continue to seek advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee as appropriate. We plan further provisions and functions related to marine nature conservation under the Marine Bill.

  Responsibility for some decisions relating to marine nature conservation – for example, related to the question of any proceedings for alleged offences – currently rests elsewhere. We have no plans to change that approach.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will guarantee the independence of Marine Scotland from the Scottish Government with regard to decisions on fishing licences.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is responsible, on behalf of Scottish ministers, for the administration of fishing vessel licences in Scotland and Marine Scotland will be part of the Scottish Government. There is therefore effectively no substantive change in the planned responsibilities under Marine Scotland compared with the current position.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will guarantee the independence of Marine Scotland from the Scottish Government with regard to decisions on planning permission for development of renewable energy.

Richard Lochhead: We will be setting out our proposals for marine planning arrangements in the Marine Bill, to be introduced to Parliament shortly.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it will create a conflict of interest by establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government with responsibility for both promoting economic growth and marine nature conservation.

Richard Lochhead: No. These issues both fall to be considered currently by Scottish Government and related agencies.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it will create a conflict of interest by establishing Marine Scotland as a branch of the Scottish Government with direct responsibility for marine science, planning, policy development, management and compliance monitoring measures.

Richard Lochhead: No. These issues fall to be considered currently by the Scottish Government or its agencies, or are new functions we believe are appropriate for Marine Scotland. Integrating responsibility for them within a single organisation will mean that it can bring to bear the necessary range of experience and expertise and make informed and, where appropriate, balanced judgements and decisions about issues.

  We will also be introducing appropriate safeguards to ensure robust and transparent arrangements – for example, a Science Advisory Board to assure the quality and independence of science and appeals mechanisms with an independent element. Enforcement arrangements will involve an appropriate degree of separation and accountability arrangements to ensure they are robust and defensible.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how Marine Scotland will be structured.

Richard Lochhead: A senior management/organisational structure for Marine Scotland has been decided, comprising a Director and seven functional heads covering:

  Marine Planning and Policy;

  Aquaculture and Freshwater Policy and Licensing;

  Science;

  Sea Fisheries Policy;

  Compliance;

  Performance, and

  Priority Projects.

  Lower level structures will follow the senior organisational structure. The structure of the organisation will be kept under review in light of experience and developments.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which submissions to its Sustainable Seas For All consultation have been amended by telephone since the consultation closed and whether it will publish each of them in full.

Richard Lochhead: No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended by telephone since the consultation closed.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which submissions to the Sustainable Seas For All consultation have been amended in writing since the consultation closed and whether it will publish each of them in full.

Richard Lochhead: One response from a local authority was amended in writing following the closure of the consultation. This accommodated amendments made by the Council’s Planning, Housing and Environment Committee which convened later than the closure date. The amended response was published with all non-confidential responses on the 23 November 2008.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which submissions to the Sustainable Seas For All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed and whether it will publish each of them in full.

Richard Lochhead: No responses to the Sustainable Seas for All consultation have been amended in person since the consultation closed.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the structure of Marine Scotland will be set out in the Marine Bill.

Richard Lochhead: Following careful consideration, I announced on 9 February 2009 that Marine Scotland will be part of the Scottish Government.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be possible to amend the structure of Marine Scotland through the Marine Bill.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Marine Bill will not provide for the structure of Marine Scotland.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that marine conservation is central to the objectives of Marine Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: Marine conservation will be a key priority for Marine Scotland and conservation priorities and objectives will be articulated through the National Marine Plan.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will champion the interests of Scottish ministers.

Richard Lochhead: As part of the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland will take direction, where appropriate, from Scottish ministers and will be responsible directly to them for its activities and decisions. There will be appropriate safeguards in relation to transparency of appeals, enforcement and science.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will have a duty to have regard to advice from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will develop and implement Scottish ministers’ policies on marine issues in Scottish seas. SNH is the Scottish Government’s statutory nature conservation adviser and its functions include provision of advice to ministers on the development and implementation of policies for, or affecting, the natural heritage of Scotland, including Scottish territorial waters. The Scottish Government has a duty under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 to have regard to any representations made by SNH on proposals for developments that are likely to have a significant effect on Natura 2000 sites in Scotland. We intend to retain SNH’s role as statutory adviser on nature conservation issues in territorial waters.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will have a duty to co-ordinate its policy and actions with that of other UK administrations.

Richard Lochhead: The agreement of 24 November 2008 between the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government under the Joint Ministerial Committee will provide a statutory mechanism for the coordination of policy and actions between the UK administrations.

  A UK Marine Policy Statement will be developed by the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government to set out the high-level objectives for the UK marine area.

  When the Scottish ministers adopt the UK Marine Policy Statement, Marine Scotland and other Scottish public authorities will have a duty to have regard to this in carrying out their functions.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that policy is coherent between Marine Scotland and other UK administrations.

Richard Lochhead: The agreement of 24 November 2008 between the Scottish ministers, other devolved administrations and the UK Government under the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) will ensure that policy is coherent between Marine Scotland and other UK administrations.

  The full text of the JMC agreement can be viewed on pages 3-7 of the document found at this address:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/rae/lcm/documents/CAbsecletterreRiverESk13feb09formatted.pdf.

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that Marine Scotland will take a regional seas approach as pioneered in the 2005 Irish Sea Pilot and, if so, how it will achieve this.

Richard Lochhead: Sustainable Seas for All - a consultation on Scotland’s first marine bill  included proposals for a marine planning system. It is envisaged that this planning system will have three tiers. One of the proposed tiers will be at the international level involving co-operation with other countries across administrative boundaries. This includes planning of our seas at a regional seas scale in co-operation with neighbouring countries.

  The Scottish and UK governments, along with other devolved administrations, plan to work together to develop a UK Marine Policy Statement which will set out high-level marine objectives for our seas.

Medical Students

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the problems facing students studying dietetics due to the lack of placement opportunities and, if so, what action it is taking in response.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, the Scottish Government is aware of a lack of available clinical placements for dietetics students. A range of actions are in hand to identify solutions to this issue.

  The Chief Health Professions Officer (CHPO) at the Scottish Government has discussed the issues with the NHS Chairs and Chief Executives who agreed to take action within their individual board areas. NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has also reinforced the scale of the current situation with NHS Chief Executives. NES and the higher education institutions (HEIs) that provide dietetic programmes are also working with NHS boards to increase the number of available placements. NES is also leading work to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between HEIs and NHS boards for the provision of clinical placements for health professions students, including dietetics.

  The Dietetic Alliance has recently written to each NHS board chief executive detailing the shortfall of placements in their NHS board area and asking them to take immediate action.

  I can reassure you that progress is being made and that additional clinical placements for dietetics students are being identified by NHS boards.

Medical Students

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students studying dietetics are undertaking placements in England and Wales in order to satisfy their degree requirements.

Nicola Sturgeon: One dietetic student is currently undertaking a placement in England.

Medical Students

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students studying dietetics were (a) unable to graduate and (b) delayed in graduating due to a lack of placement opportunities in the last academic year, broken down by (i) institution and (ii) course.

Nicola Sturgeon: All dietetics students graduated in the last academic year (2007-08).

  However, a number of students were delayed in graduating. These included eight undergraduate students at Robert Gordon University and one undergraduate student and two postgraduate students at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Medical Students

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have enrolled on dietetics courses in each of the last two academic years, broken down by (a) institution and (b) course.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of dietetic students who enrolled in the last two academic year are set out in the following table:

  

 Higher Education Institution
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Undergraduate
 Postgraduate
 Undergraduate
 Postgraduate


 Robert Gordon University
 26
 -
 24
 -


 Queen Margaret University
 24
 10
 20
 10


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 20
 12
 20
 12

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on reducing the number of re-admissions to psychiatric hospitals.

Shona Robison: Excellent progress is being made, with most Boards on course to exceed this target; those finding the target challenging are receiving extra support from The Scottish Government Mental Health Collaborative.

  Progress on reducing the number of readmissions (within one year) for those that have had a psychiatric hospital admission of over seven days is shown in the following table.

  

 
 Baseline
 Target
 Most Recent Available Data
 % Reduction


 December 2004
 December 2009
 Year Ending
 Readmissions


 Ayrshire and Arran
 344
 282
 September 2007
 282
 18%


 Borders
 132
 119
 September 2007
 123
 7%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 118
 106
 September 2007
 85
 28%


 Fife
 307
 276
 March 2007
 237
 23%


 Forth Valley
 194
 175
 March 2007
 127
 35%


 Grampian
 344
 310
 September 2007
 290
 16%


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 1,195
 1,057
 March 2007
 1,014
 15%


 Highland
 321
 289
 September 2007
 207
 36%


 Lanarkshire
 484
 436
 September 2007
 389
 20%


 Lothian
 785
 628
 June 2007
 554
 29%


 Orkney
 7
 6
 September 2007
 9
 -29%


 Shetland
 6
 5
 September 2007
 11
 -83%


 Tayside
 282
 254
 September 2007
 281
 0%


 Western Isles
 29
 26
 March 2007
 17
 41%



  Source: ISD SMR04, calculated as at December 2008.

NHS Staff

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students graduated from dietetics courses in each of the last two academic years, broken down by (a) institution and (b) course.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of dietetic students who graduated in the last two academic years are set out in the following table:

  

 Higher Education Institution
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Undergraduate
 Postgraduate
 Undergraduate
 Postgraduate


 Robert Gordon University
 26
 -
 28
 -


 Queen Margaret University
 23
 11
 17
 13


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 18
 11
 11
 10

NHS Staff

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS is responsible for setting quotas for the number of dietetics student placements available and, if so, (a) what the quota was and (b) how many places were taken up in each of the last two academic years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The NHS is not responsible for setting quotas for the numbers of dietetics student placements. However, the NHS is working in partnership with higher education institutions to identify increased placement opportunities for dietetic students in training.

  Following the decision of the British Dietetic Association to withdraw from the allocation of clinical placements for dietetics students, a Scottish Stakeholder Partnership (SSP), including higher education, NHS placement providers, NHS dietetics managers, and NHS Education for Scotland was created to oversee practice placement and work towards self-sufficiency in Scotland. The SSP agreed to a level of placement that equated to approximately six weeks of placement provision per dietitian (whole-time equivalent).

  Although progress has been made and dietetics students have been able to take up increased numbers of placements made available in Scotland, NHS dietetic services continue to work towards self-sufficiency for placements in Scotland.

Non-Domestic Rates

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement transitional relief for non-domestic rates and, if so, what the timeline will be for any consultation.

John Swinney: It is too early in the revaluation process to make any announcement about Transitional Relief. Decisions will be taken in the context of upward or downward movement in rateable values across all classes of property, and any change in the poundage rate. Any necessary information will be made available to ratepayers as soon as is practical.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 ( Official Report c. 15439) that a police strength projection study will be undertaken, on what date the study will be published.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 ( Official Report c.15439) that a police strength projection study will be undertaken, whether it is confident that there will be 17,265 police officers in post by the end of its term in office.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that there will be 17,265 police officers in post in advance of the publication of the police strength projection study announced by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 ( Official Report c. 15439).

Kenny MacAskill: The police force projection study was published on 18 March 2009 and is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Police/facts/Policing-Capacity/pfps.

Police

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many special constables are gamekeepers, stalkers or estate workers, broken down by police force.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has delayed the purchase of vehicles for use by it or its agencies.

John Swinney: The purchasing of additional or replacement vehicles is only undertaken in order to ensure that the Scottish Government and its agencies have access to a safe and reliable fleet to support the efficient delivery of government business. Decisions about the timing of the purchase of vehicles are taken following full consideration of the operational needs of individual business areas and to protect the health and safety of staff and the public.

Renewable Energy

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances the national grid is unable to accept excess electricity from small wind turbines and what happens to that output.

Jim Mather: Proposals to connect small scale wind turbines are considered by the relevant Distribution Network Operator, who will, where appropriate, in conjunction with National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, the operator of the national grid, assess the impact of connection, based on its maximum output on the grid.

  Proposals which are considered to impact significantly on the UK grid network are made a connection offer, which is subject to grid reinforcement having been carried out by the relevant Distribution Network Operator.

  Given this assessment, I am advised that, once appropriate grid reinforcement is complete, National Grid Electricity Transmission would be able to accept generation, without the need for restrictions, on small scale wind turbines.

Rural Development

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to working with rural industries to find an alternative organisation to the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Scotland to ensure the delivery of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) and maintain choice for people seeking advice on applications to the SRDP.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government already funds the Scottish Agricultural College to provide veterinary services and public good advice – including advice on agri-environment, rural diversification and crofting issues - to the value of £7 million per annum. Funding is also available to assist applicants to the SRDP to make proposals under Rural Priorities.

  Grant assistance from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Scotland was not linked to the provision of advice to land managers in relation to the preparation of SRDP applications but rather to the delivery of specific public environmental benefits. In providing advice to land managers on the preparation of applications for the SRDP, FWAG Scotland, like any other commercial organisation, had to provide services on a competitive basis. I believe there remains a significant choice of companies and independent advisors who are able to provide the advisory services required by land managers in Scotland for the preparation of applications for the SRDP. However, I remain open to receiving suggestions on how to maintain choice for those seeking advice on applications to the SRDP.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the decision to increase the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding.

Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities is a competitive funding mechanism whereby the best quality proposals are approved, within the limits of the available budget. The February assessment round for Rural Priorities received an extremely high-level and quality of proposals, particularly for agri-environment funding. For that reason it was necessary to increase the scoring threshold to stay within available funding limits.

  Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) have discretion on which proposals to recommend to Scottish ministers for funding, as they are best placed to establish which cases meet regional priorities. The guidance on the threshold to be used during RPAC discussions was applied consistently across all RPAC regions.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the decision was made to increase the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers took the decision to increase the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding.

Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities is a competitive funding mechanism whereby the best quality proposals are approved, within the limits of the available budget. In order to deal with the extremely high-level and quality of proposals in the February Rural Priorities assessment round for agri-environment funding, it has been necessary to consider how to maximise the number of proposals to be approved. For this reason, Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs), including the Northern Isles RPAC, have extended their consideration of proposals beyond their scheduled meetings.

  Additional guidance regarding the application of the points threshold in the assessment process was issued to RPACs by senior Scottish Government officials on Friday 13 March, and RPACs’ considerations were due to be completed by Friday 20 March.

  Ministers are currently considering the RPACs’ recommendations and will make an announcement on approved proposals shortly.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of the impact of the decision to increase the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding on agricultural businesses in the islands.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of the impact of the decision to increase the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding on the environment of the islands.

Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities is a competitive funding mechanism whereby the best quality proposals are approved, within the limits of the available budget. Consideration was given to how best to maximise the range of high-quality applications which could be supported, based on both the benefits to the businesses themselves, and also to the contribution which could be made to the local environment.

  Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) have discretion on which proposals to recommend to Scottish ministers for funding, as they are best placed to establish which cases meet regional priorities.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the points threshold required for successful applications from agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding is in each of the 11 regions.

Richard Lochhead: There is no set points threshold for agri-environment proposals under Rural Priorities. Rural Priorities is a competitive funding mechanism whereby the best quality proposals are approved, within the limits of the available budget. Therefore, the threshold may vary between assessment rounds. However, the threshold is applied consistently across all 11 Regional Proposal Assessment Committee regions.

Rural Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, at the time that the points threshold required for successful applications from Northern Isles agri-environment applicants for Rural Priorities funding was increased, whether those in the other 10 regions also increased.

Mr Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21722 on 23 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Schools

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new-build schools have been completed in each year since 1992.

Keith Brown: The following table sets out the number of new-build schools completed for each year between 1999 to 2008. Information relating to the years prior to 1999 is not available.

  

 Year
 New-Build Schools


 1999
 4


 2000
 14


 2001
 17


 2002
 28


 2003
 14


 2004
 16


 2005
 11


 2006
 45


 2007
 70


 2008
 61


 Total
 280

Schools

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have been substantially refurbished in each year since 1992.

Keith Brown: The following table sets out the number of schools substantially refurbished between 1999 to 2008. Information relating to the years prior to 1999 is not available.

  

 Year
 Schools Substantially Refurbished


 1999
 5


 2000
 15


 2001
 16


 2002
 24


 2003
 11


 2004
 18


 2005
 20


 2006
 39


 2007
 27


 2008
 10


 Total
 185

Schools

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have had minor refurbishments since May 2007.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not collect information relating to minor refurbishments of schools. These are matters for local authorities.

Schools

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school building or refurbishment projects that were completed after May 1997 were planned before May 1997.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Office did not collect information relating to the planning dates of school building or refurbishment projects. These were matters for local authorities.

Scottish Futures Trust

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it will publish on Scottish Future Trust bids and invitations to tender.

John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and will produce and maintain its own publication scheme which is independently approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner.

  Project bid and tender documents are the responsibility of the procuring bodies.

Student Finance

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it expects the declining rate of inflation to have on the level of debt owed to the Student Loans Company.

Fiona Hyslop: The declining rate of inflation will only affect the interest applied to the amount borrowed on a student loan. Over time, therefore, the debt owed to the Student Loans Company will, in real terms, remain the same.

Young Carers

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the recommendations in Hidden Harm - Next Steps: Supporting Children Working with Parents , what plans it has to improve support for young people caring for parents with substance misuse problems.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the adverse effect that young caring can have on the social, emotional and mental development of children and young people. That is why Scottish ministers have made support for all  young carers a priority. This includes those children and young people caring for parents with substance misuse problems.

  We have already put measures in place to begin to improve support for young carers. This includes the publication of the young carers services self-evaluation guide last June. This guide will enable all services in contact with young carers to assess the provision they make for this group, ensuring the best possible support is available. It focuses on delivering positive outcomes for young carers, achieved through partnership working.

  In addition, Scottish ministers provided funding to support the development of Scotland’s first national young carers festival. This event provided Scottish young carers with a voice and a national platform to have their views heard. It also raised the profile of this vulnerable group. Following the success of this first festival, I was delighted to announce funding to support two further festivals in 2009 and 2010.

  Looking ahead, we are revising the National Carers Strategy for Scotland, in partnership with COSLA. This Strategy will include a "lift out" young carers section, focusing on the specific needs of this group. This section will be informed by the comments raised by the young carers who attended the festival last September. It will focus on identifying and supporting the needs of all young carers, including those caring for a parent with substance misuse problems, to ensure positive outcomes for this group.

Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that young people can stay in care until they are 18.

Adam Ingram: Scottish Government guidance is clear that young people should continue to be looked after until 18, if that is in their best interest. We know that too many young people are leaving care before they have the necessary supports in place to make a successful and sustainable transition to adult living. This is highlighted by The Care Commission bulletin Throughcare and aftercare provided for children and young people in residential care: Are services meeting the standards?, published in January 2009, and by the report Sweet 16? The Age of Leaving care in Scotland  published by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People in March 2008.

  Scottish Government is working with local authorities and other agencies to improve the life opportunities for all looked after children and young people both within the care system and once they have left.